SKU: granite-audio-ground-zero-ground-loop-eliminator Granite Audio Ground Zero Ground Loop Eliminator

Granite Audio Ground Zero Ground Loop Elimination System

"Listen to your music, not your noise!"
"Stop the 50 Hz hum torture in minutes!"

Key Highlights:

• Affordable Noise Reduction: Effectively eliminates ground loop hum and lowers your audio system's noise floor.
• Signal Integrity Maintained: Operates strictly in the ground circuit, leaving your delicate music signal path completely untouched.
• Safer Operation: Replaces dangerous AC "cheater plugs" by maintaining full safety earth ground connections.
• Impedance Matching: Precisely matches and balances the ground impedance of every individual component in your setup.
• No Rewiring Required: Creates a balanced, central star ground path without costly electrical house rewiring.
• Portable Solution: Ideal for renters and audiophiles alike - easily disconnect and take it with you if you move.

Please Note:
The Ground Zero system is specifically engineered to eliminate hum and noise caused by ground loops and ground potential differences between connected components. It will not resolve noise issues caused by unshielded or faulty interconnects, defective vacuum tubes, internal component faults, or external RF interference unrelated to ground loops.

How It Works

Why You Need Ground Zero

Before installing the Ground Zero system to eliminate hum and improve audio performance, it helps to understand how ground loops form.

Ground loop issues generally begin when there is a difference in ground potential between connected components. The ground potential and impedance to earth ground of one component may differ from another in the chain. The result is an audible 50 Hz hum (or low-frequency rumble). This noise can be extremely distracting during quiet musical passages and robs your system of dynamic range, as your power amplifiers waste wattage amplifying low-frequency AC noise.

Components typically share a ground connection via the outer shields of their RCA/XLR interconnect cables or through the earth pin of their AC power cords:

• Interconnect Ground Bonds: Highly problematic due to small wire gauges, oxidised contacts, or loose-fitting RCA outer rings. Loose RCA connections are a primary source of grounding noise.
• AC Power Cord Ground Bonds: Varying cable lengths, wire gauges, socket contact pressures, and distance back to the main switchboard create uneven ground impedances across components.

The rear panel of the Ground Zero chassis is divided into 3 distinct component groups, each controlled by a dedicated 3-position toggle switch. The central green GND section is used to connect multiple Ground Zero units together or connect the chassis directly to system ground.

Ground Zero operates strictly within the ground plane without interfering with audio signal paths:

1. Star Ground Architecture: All components are bonded to a central star ground hub using ultra-pure OFC copper grounding cables with gold-plated soldered connectors.
2. Heavy-Duty Internal Components: Features one-piece chassis banana jacks and heavy internal wiring. The low-impedance toggle switches feature silver contacts rated for 32 amps.
3. Impedance Balancing: Components connected to different sections can be isolated and impedance-matched using the 3-position toggle switches (High, Medium, and Low settings).

With 3 isolated sections and 3 switch positions per section, Ground Zero offers 27 distinct impedance-matching combinations. Multiple settings will lower the noise floor, allowing you to easily fine-tune the switches by ear or meter to achieve the quietest possible background for your specific system.

Specifications & Dimensions:

• Chassis Dimensions (including feet & toggles): 7.0" W x 4.5" D x 3.5" H (approx. 178 mm W x 114 mm D x 89 mm H)
• Chassis Material: Heavy-gauge, EMI/RFI shielded metal enclosure
• Switch Specs: High-current toggle switches with silver contacts rated at 32 A (ultra-low impedance < 5 mΩ)
• Terminals: Gold-plated single-piece banana jacks

Package Contents & Included Cables:

This kit will be perfect for the average audio system and includes:

• 1 x Granite Audio Ground Zero Main Chassis
• 4 x 5-foot (1.5 m) Grounding Cables
• 2 x 8-foot (2.4 m) Grounding Cables
• 1 x User Manual Setup Guide

All supplied cables feature heavy-gauge, ultra-pure OFC flexible copper wiring, terminated with gold-plated banana plugs for the Ground Zero chassis and gold-plated stepped spade lugs for component chassis screws or ground terminals.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to lift or disconnect the earth grounds on my existing components?
No. You do not need to alter or disconnect any safety earth grounds on your components when installing Ground Zero.

2. I am currently using "cheater plugs". What should I do with them?
Remove and discard them immediately. Cheater plugs defeat AC safety grounds and present a serious shock hazard. Ground Zero safely eliminates the hum without lifting AC grounds.

3. I have 3 source components, but Ground Zero only has 2 sockets labelled "Source"?
Any component can be connected to any socket. The labels ("Source", "Preamp", "Power Amp") are provided as a convenient starting point for grouping components. Because Ground Zero operates entirely in the ground plane, you can mix and match gear across any available socket or section.

4. Do I connect Ground Zero to my power conditioner?
Yes, Ground Zero is designed to bond with every component chassis and power conditioner in your audio chain.

5. Do I have to connect Ground Zero to every single component?
Not necessarily. You only need to connect the components that contribute to the ground loop. Connecting components one by one allows you to isolate the offending gear and eliminate the noise quickly.

6. My power conditioner / regenerator has a dedicated ground binding post. Should I use it?
Yes. Simply run a Ground Zero grounding cable directly to the designated ground terminal on your power conditioner.

7. How do I keep track of all the switch positions during setup?
You can download our printable Ground Zero Setup Worksheet (PDF) to note noise levels and track switch configurations as you dial in your system.

Easy Step-by-Step Installation

1. Preparation: Turn off all system components and main power before installation. Note the baseline noise floor of your system.
2. Connect Cables: Plug the banana plug end of each supplied cable into the Ground Zero chassis. Connect the spade lug end to a chassis screw, ground lug, or terminal marked "GND" on your components.
3. Safety Warning: Only attach spade lugs to confirmed chassis grounds or "GND" terminals. Never connect Ground Zero cables to positive speaker terminals, live signal connections, or unverified terminals.
4. Testing & Tuning: Power on the system and adjust the Ground Zero impedance toggle switches to achieve the lowest audible background noise floor.

Industry & User Testimonials

Michael Chang (Chang Lightspeed AC Line Conditioners):
"Used Ground Zero to eliminate an annoying ground loop at our exhibition room. Ground Zero was installed in 5 minutes without disrupting the demonstration. A few clicks of the toggle switches equalised the impedance mismatch and eliminated the noise completely."

PS Audio Exhibit Team:
"Used Ground Zero in our exhibit to eliminate ground loop noise when running high-performance line conditioners and amplification chains. Highly effective and completely compatible with AC power regenerators."

John (Massachusetts, USA):
"After a quick 25-minute setup, all hum and noise were virtually gone. I can turn my power amp up to full volume and hear nothing from the speakers. The music flows far more naturally without any artificial edge or brightness. Well worth it."

Roger (Birmingham, AL):
"I use a sensitive phono cartridge and phono stage and was picking up noticeable RF noise and hum. Installing Ground Zero removed all of the noise cleanly. Fantastic product!"

Cyrus (Honolulu, HI):
"My amplification chain is all tube-based with highly sensitive horn speakers. Replacing my cheater plugs with Ground Zero yielded an incredible improvement. Instrumental textures became clearer, background noise vanished, and the system became quieter overall."